specimen

noun

spec·​i·​men ˈspe-sə-mən How to pronounce specimen (audio)
ˈspes-mən
1
a
: an individual, item, or part considered typical of a group, class, or whole
b
: a portion or quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study
a urine specimen
2
a
: something that obviously belongs to a particular category but is noticed by reason of an individual distinguishing characteristic
b
: person, individual
he's a tough specimen
3
: a plant grown for exhibition or in the open to display its full development
specimen trees
Choose the Right Synonym for specimen

instance, case, illustration, example, sample, specimen mean something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category.

instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with.

a case of mistaken identity

illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities.

show us a sample of your work

specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

Examples of specimen in a Sentence

The church is a magnificent specimen of baroque architecture. Her dance partner is a superb physical specimen.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Each room of the conservatory was landscaped with mass plantings versus just a collection of specimens. Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025 The museum's mammal collections consist of more than 245,000 specimens from around the world, with a good sample of animals from Chicago. Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 These multi-stemmed trees make handsome specimens, with exfoliating bark that takes center stage during the winter months. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 June 2025 The mammal collections at the museum include over 245,000 specimens from all over the world. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for specimen

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from specere to look at, look — more at spy

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of specimen was in 1610

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Specimen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specimen. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

specimen

noun
spec·​i·​men ˈspes-(ə-)mən How to pronounce specimen (audio)
1
: a part or a single thing that shows what the whole thing or group is like : sample
2
: a portion of material for use in testing or examination
a blood specimen
3
: person sense 1, individual
he's a tough specimen

Medical Definition

specimen

noun
spec·​i·​men ˈspes-(ə-)mən How to pronounce specimen (audio)
1
: an individual, item, or part typical of a group, class, or whole
2
: a portion or quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study
a urine specimen

More from Merriam-Webster on specimen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!